1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless cellular communication networks having a local area network connected to a number of base stations, each of which can communicate with and control mobile stations, and more particularly to a cellular communication network wherein control of a mobile station is handed off to another base station.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,200 issued Jan. 19, 1993 to Harrison entitled "HANDOFF METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOBILE WIRELESS WORKSTATION" describes a system which, in response to a data processor breaking a wireless link with a first, original, link adapter a first step deletes the data processor from an active group of the first link adapter and re-directs network datagrams intended for the data processor subsequently establishing a link with a second, new, link adapter a next step adds the data processor to the active group associated with the second link adapter and transmits stored datagrams in a First In/First Out order from the spooler to the second link adapter for transmission to the data processor. In response to the storage device transmitting all of the stored datagrams to the second link adapter the method includes the further steps of terminating the re-direction of datagrams from the first link adapter to the storage device and, receiving, from the network with the second link adapter, further datagrams addressed to the data processor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,029 issued Jun. 16, 1992 to Bantz et al. entitled "BROADCAST-INITIATED BIPARTITE FRAME MULTI-ACCESS PROTOCOL" discloses a hybrid of controlled access and random access schemes using frequency hopping spread spectrum communication techniques is implemented in an indoor digital data radio communication system between mobile stations and a computer system. A hop in the frequency hopping spread spectrum communication system is subdivided into two intervals so that different media-access protocols can be used in each interval. The protocol uses a centralized control scheme and the intervals may be varied depending on the load of the system.